House Speaker Robert DeLeo supportive of transgender public accommodations bill

House Speaker Robert DeLeo, D-Winthrop, on Tuesday gave his support to a bill that would give transgender people anti-discrimination protections in public places, although DeLeo declined to say when the House would take up the bill.

"I am in favor of the legislation and...we're going to be discussing it," DeLeo said.

DeLeo said he thinks more work needs to be done educating members before bringing the bill to a vote. "I think (members) are looking for more information than anything else right now," DeLeo said. "I still think we've got some homework that has to be done, and members have some questions that have to be answered before I think that they feel comfortable moving ahead."

DeLeo said he wants to have more discussions with members before deciding "when and if it will come up" for a vote.

This was the first time that DeLeo has publicly come out in favor of the bill, which is strongly supported by Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst.

A group of activists - including gay and lesbian groups, progressive groups, and businesses - have been pushing strongly for the bill. Massachusetts' all-Democratic congressional delegation has also come out unanimously in favor of the policy.

In 2011, the Legislature passed a bill adding non-discrimination protection for transgender people in employment, housing, credit, education and similar areas. But a mention of public accommodations got stripped out, after opponents dubbed the legislation "the bathroom bill," out of fear that it would require public places to allow a transgender man to use a women's bathroom.

The current bill would put in place non-discrimination protections for transgender people in public places. Without that law, supporters of the bill say transgender people can be, for example, denied service in a restaurant.

Gov. Charlie Baker has said he opposes the policy, though he has not said definitively that he would veto the bill. If Baker does veto it, supporters of the bill would need a two-thirds majority vote in both houses to override a veto.

Lawmakers do not expect to take up the bill before they leave for their winter break this week. The Legislature will return to formal sessions in January.

Update, 4:30 p.m.: Kasey Suffredini and Mason Dunn, co-chairs of the Freedom Massachusetts Coalition, which supports the bill, issued the following statement: "We greatly appreciate Speaker DeLeo announcing his public support for this important piece of legislation today. Once again, we call on members of the legislature to take action now to ensure transgender members of our communities are no longer marginalized and can go about their daily lives knowing the Commonwealth's laws protect them. This bill has been years in the making, any further delay by the legislature is unacceptable."